Japanese charms, or omamori, are amulets one can purchase at shrines and temples in a variety of shapes. When I first went to Japan as a teenager, I purchased omamori at a few sites, then decided to get one for each shrine we visited. Traditionally, omamori are not collected, but actually returned to shrines a year later as they are believed to lose their blessing and potency. My omamori are mementos, reminders of special places I have visited. Some of the charms below are from famous places, others not so much. A few of my favorites are from the smaller shrines and temples off the beaten path where I met kind people or saw unexpected things. Because of this, I will not return these, but decided to photograph them and share them here as a display box of a decade of memories in Japan.

Omamori for sale at Nonomiya Jinja in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

KAMAKURA

Hasedera 長谷寺

Tsurugaoka Hachimangû 鶴岡八幡宮

Engakuji 円覚寺

Kôtokuin 高徳院

Kamakuragû 鎌倉宮

Enoshima Jinja 江ノ島神社

Zeniarai Benten Jinja 銭洗弁天神社

Sasuke Fushimi Inari Jinja 佐助伏見稲荷神社

Zeniarai Benten Jinja 銭洗弁天神社

Kuzuharaoka Jinja 葛原岡神社

Egaraten Jinja 荏柄天神社

Yakumo Jinja 八雲神社

Gosho Jinja 五所神社

Kakuonji 覚園寺

Kômyôji 光明寺

Myôryûji 妙隆寺

Enoshima Jinja's Hôanden 江島神社 奉安殿

NIKKÔ

Tôshôgû 東照宮

Tôshôgû 東照宮

Futarasan Jinja 二荒山神社

Tôshôgû 東照宮

Rin'ôji 輪王寺

Futarasan Shinkyo 二荒山神橋

Yakushidô 薬師堂の輪王寺

Tôshôgû 東照宮

Omamori being advertised (upper left) and for sale (right) at Tôshôgû in Nikkô. The famous Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, and See No Evil monkeys are carved in the sacred stable at the shrine (lower left).